1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to solar powered engines, and particularly to liquid pumping self-sufficient engines driven by solar energy.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art.
One of the most familiar methods of pumping liquids, especially water from the ground in remote places, has been the windmill. However, the vagaries of the wind, and the common mechanical failures have rendered the windmill less than desirable. Gasoline powered engines, and electric motors have been found to be much more dependable, have high production rates, and require only small maintenance. However, both the gasoline or diesel engines, and electric motors are tied by an umbilical to their source of energy. Electric motors must have power lines or large banks of batteries which must be replaced with recharged batteries. Gasoline and diesel engines must be fed the fuel either through long fuel lines or from tank trucks. There has been a great deal of development in solar powered devices, especially to reduce dependence on electric power and hydrocarbon fuels. Solar powered engines can generally be divided into two classes: those using one fluid to both absorb the heat from the sun, and to then drive some sort of mechanical device, and those that use one fluid to collect the heat from the sun, and another fluid to drive the mechanical device. The present invention uses a two fluid system, and the numerous patents using one fluid systems are not particularly relevant. McHenry, U.S. Pat. No. 659,450 teaches the basics of a two fluid system of converting solar energy to mechanical work. Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,036 teaches a two fluid boiler, and Ruff, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,581 teaches a two fluid single acting piston device with a crankshaft and cam driven valves which operates a slave compression piston. Robinson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,587 teaches a hybrid device which uses only one fluid, but has two functional loops and a free piston. Swartzman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,379 also teaches a two fluid system where the two fluids are mixed and then separated.